Sleep is something that many people take for granted. On average we sleep for eight hours a day, which is a third of a day or, theoretically a third of our lives. It is a lot of time and it is something that we are simply expected to do well. Nobody is ever trained on how to sleep or on how to do it better. It is assumed that because we have been doing it since we were born that we know what we are doing, and we must just get on with it. But experience doesn’t translate into excellence, it just means you are familiar with one specific way of doing things. Here are a few ideas or thoughts to help you improve you sleep.

Invest in your bed

There are so many different types of beds available and they are all unique. You can have soft or hard mattresses, you can do futon or springs, there is memory foam. The options are almost endless, and you need to do some research to find out what works best for you. But also recognize that a mattress is to provide support it is not the be-all-and-end-all, of a bed. For example, an average mattress married with the best mattress topper Australia has available is suddenly a whole new level of comfort. Also known as a mattress pad this is an additional layer on top of the mattress that provides extra comfort, insulation and warmth. They can be game changes.

Your mental game

Sleeping is about switching off completely and shutting everything out. In order to get to this state, you need to commit to lying still. If you are struggling to sleep and are tossing and turning in bed, find a comfortable position and commit to lying in it, dead still, eyes closed, not moving at all. If you can do this for ten minutes you will almost certainly be asleep.

Use your feet

Temperature control in bed is one of the most important things needed for a good night’s sleep. If you are too hot or too cold you will wake up frequently or end up having bad dreams. In order to regulate your temperature, loosen the blankets at the foot of the bed so you can stick your feet out at the bottom. If it is hot you stick your feet out, if it is cold you draw them up. Using this simple technique goes a long way towards regulating your temperature and helping you sleep well.

No screens

If a god night of sleep is high on your agenda, then you need to get rid of screens in the bedroom. As a starting point there should not be a television in the bedroom. And once you have cast the television out then then you need to bad phones and tablets and any other screens. Science has shown that screens stimulate the mind and make it turn faster. If the primary objective of a bedroom is to sleep then there is no need to bring in devices that are almost purpose built to stop sleep. Say no to screens from at least thirty minutes before bed.